White Tower Aes Sedai

Author: Atarah al'Norahn

The Split

In the year 999 NE, the Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche, was deposed and stilled for keeping secrets about the Dragon Reborn. She was replaced on the Amyrlin Seat by Elaida do Arviny a’Roihan (TSR, Ch. 47; TFoH, Prologue).

Not all of the sisters were happy with this decision; many felt that Siuan’s trial was unfair and subsequently fled the Tower, where they congregated in Salidar as a rebel force (TFoH, Prologue; TFoH, Ch. 26). Even some of the Sitters, mostly of those who hadn’t been informed that the Hall was sitting to depose Siuan, fled (ACoS, Ch. 32). Since the split, the Salidar Aes Sedai have been fighting to be recognized as the true Tower in exile, while the White Tower Aes Sedai, led by Elaida, have run into one disaster after another.

The Leaders

Elaida and Alviarin

After Siuan Sanche’s deposal, Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan was raised to the Amyrlin Seat in her place. She is the first Amyrlin raised from the Red Ajah since the time of Artur Hawkwing.

Although the Keeper of the Chronicles is traditionally raised from the same Ajah as the Amyrlin Seat, Elaida’s first Keeper is Alviarin Freidhen of the White Ajah. Elaida was forced to accede to the White Ajah’s demands that one of their own be made Keeper in order to gain the White’s full support, without which she likely would not have succeeded in taking the Amyrlin Seat (TFoH, Prologue).

Despite the fact that Elaida manages to succeed in supplanting Siuan Sanche, she begins as a fairly weak Amyrlin; those who helped her gain the stole are aware that she could not have done it without their help, and so hardly even think twice about usurping her authority (TFoH, Prologue). Elaida eventually puts a stop to this, largely by handing out penances to sisters left and right (TPoD, Ch. 25). Her grasp on power takes another downward turn after she makes a couple of bad decisions – namely the embassy she sent to Rand and the sisters she sent to the Black Tower. Knowing that she will likely be deposed if word ever gets out about what happened with Rand, let alone the capture of fifty-one sisters by the Black Tower, Elaida lets Alviarin manipulate her into signing decrees that will literally break the Tower (ACoS, Ch. 32).

Alviarin, who is also secretly the head of the Black Ajah, uses every advantage she has to manipulate Elaida, who becomes little more than a puppet in her hands. She insists to Elaida that she is trying to save the Tower from Elaida’s follies (ACoS, Ch. 32; TPoD, Ch. 25), but really, she is just tearing it apart. Following orders from Mesaana to create chaos in the White Tower, Alviarin has Elaida sign a number of ludicrous decrees, such as a declaration that Rand is under the protection of the White Tower, which will only make him angry, and a decree saying that sisters may literally assault a sister from another Ajah if she enters their hallways (ACoS, Ch. 32). These decrees, among others, have horrible consequences, but Elaida is too afraid of losing the Amyrlin Seat to counteract them. To keep her in line, Alviarin also forces Elaida to take daily private penances with Silviana, the Mistress of Novices (TPoD, Ch. 25).

Angry at Alviarin for manipulating her, and wanting to regain the reigns of power, Elaida secretly visits Seaine Herimon and asks her to undertake an investigation on Alviarin to discover evidence that she entered a treasonous correspondence with Rand. However, she is so vague when asking Seaine to undertake this that Seine mistakes her and ends up hunting for and uncovering the Black Ajah (see the section on Hunt for the Black Ajah for more details) (ACoS, Ch. 32; KoD, Prologue).

When Alviarin disappears unexpectedly for two weeks, Elaida begins to take back some of the power of the Amyrlin Seat. When Alviarin returns just as unexpectedly, she sets Elaida straight, going so far as to slap her and then going through the decrees Elaida has signed and deciding which ones can go through (TPoD, Ch. 25).

When Alviarin disappears for yet a second time, Elaida finds the courage to go before the Hall and have Alviarin removed as Keeper on grounds of desertion. When Alviarin confronts her, reminding her of the follies that she has made that Alviarin can reveal, Elaida replies that rumors already abound and that blame has been laid elsewhere. Elaida also tells Alviarin that she will take ten days of private penance with Silviana for every one that Elaida suffered (CoT, Ch. 21).

Alviarin’s replacement is Tarna Feir. According to Tarna, people are now watchful of the Keeper because of what Alviarin did (CoT, Ch. 22). Nevertheless, Elaida’s relationship with her is a good deal better than it was with Alviarin, and she actually trusts Tarna (ACoS, Prologue; KoD, Ch. 2).

Although Alviarin’s influence is now gone and she is unable to do any further harm to the White Tower, many of Elaida’s decrees are little better. She alienates sisters at every turn with her penances and absolute disregard for Tower custom.

Elaida’s Council

After Elaida takes the Amyrlin Seat, she has a council of sisters who supported her in deposing Siuan to advise her. The council is made up of a dozen women or more, with four sisters from the Red Ajah, two from the Gray, one each from the Green, Yellow and Brown and an undetermined number of Whites, likely between two and three. Alviarin also attends the meetings of this council. The sisters include Danelle from the Brown, Joline from the Green, Shemerin from the Yellow, Evanellein and Andaya from the Gray and Teslyn and Javindhra from the Red (TFoH, Prologue; LoC, Ch. 7).

The council meets to discuss reports and rumors of what is going on in the world. They discuss the rumors that there are skirmishes in Shienar, that the Marshal-General of Saldaea is moving south with an army, that Amathera has vanished from Tarabon, possibly with Aes Sedai involvement, the fact that Morgase’s new lover has her attention fixed on the throne of Cairhien, and rumors of Pedron Niall conducting secret negotiations with Altara and Murandy. They also make several decisions, such as to send an Aes Sedai advisor, Memara, to Queen Tenobia of Saldaea, and to redouble the efforts on finding Taim (TFoH, Prologue).

Although the council meets in Elaida’s study, a mere two months after Elaida is raised to the Amyrlin Seat they have already become so used to deciding things among themselves that they hardly even glance at Elaida. She finally gets fed up with this, and one day when Alviarin announces that they are done and all of the sisters get up to leave, Elaida stops them, telling them that she has not given them leave to go and that, since they are already standing, they might as well remain so until she is done speaking with them. She wants to know how the search for Siuan is going; Joline is supposed to be in charge of it, but Elaida hears nothing of it but difficulties. Elaida decides that a daily penance might help Joline to increase her diligence; she tells the Green to write out what she thinks is a suitable penance. If it is not high enough, Elaida will triple it (TFoH, Prologue). Part of the penance that Joline sets for herself is that she will not touch saidar (ACoS, Ch. 17).

Elaida also wants to know how things are going with bringing back the sisters who fled the Tower during the split, which Javindhra is in charge of, and with which there are also difficulties. Elaida informs Javindhra that the next day, she will hand in a list of everything that has been done to date on this issue, and that if she does not have suitable time to do enough work, she should not be a Sitter in the Hall (TFoH, Prologue).

As her tirade goes on, Elaida becomes increasingly angry. She speaks of the Dragon Reborn, and demands that every sister in the room look at the panel that she has in her study of Rand fighting Ishamael above Falme. If they do not, she will have every single one of them scrubbing floors, because they must have the courage to face what is coming. She commands them to find Rand, telling them that when she next sees them, they will each be prepared to tell her, in detail, what steps they have taken to find him (TFoH, Prologue). Because Shemerin collapses after hearing all that she has said, Elaida decides that something must be done about her, and eventually she demotes Shemerin to the level of Accepted (TFoH, Prologue; LoC, Ch. 7).

As time passes, Elaida’s council shrinks and then disappears. According to Elayne, the first time she visited Elaida’s study in Tel’aran’rhiod, there were a dozen or more stools around the Amyrlin’s desk, which were used by the council. With each visit, there are less chairs, until there are eventually none (LoC, Ch. 7).

The Hall of the Tower

The Sitters in the Hall of the Tower are currently as follows: Juilaine Madome, Saerin Asnobar and Shevan for the Gray Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 25; TPoD, Ch. 26); Andaya Forae, Evanellein and Yukiri for the Gray Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 25; TPoD, Ch. 26; KoD, Prologue); Rina Hafden, Rubinde and Talene Minly for the Green Ajah (ACoS, Ch. 32; TPoD, Ch. 25; CoT, Prologue); Duhara Basaheen, Javindhra Doraile and Pevara Tazanovni for the Red Ajah (TFoH, Prologue; ACoS, Ch. 32; TPoD, Ch. 25); Ferane Neheran, Seaine Herimon and Velina for the White Ajah (ACoS, Ch. 32; TPoD, Ch. 25; WH, Prologue); and Doesine Alwain, Sedore and Suana Dragand for the Yellow Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 25; TPoD, Ch. 26; WH, Prologue).

Joline Maza and Teslyn Baradon held chairs for the Green and Red Ajahs respectively; however, they were un-chaired by Elaida and sent as an embassy to Ebou Dar as a penance (ACoS, Prologue). Duhara Basaheen has also been sent to Elayne in Andor, and it is unknown who is going to take her place (KoD, Ch. 31).

Not all of the Sitters were informed when Elaida called the Hall to vote on Siuan Sanche’s deposal. Of these Sitters, the only one who remained in the White Tower was Seaine Herimon, because she believes that the Tower must remain whole (ACoS, Ch. 32).

Elaida does not have a good relationship with her Hall. At first, they more readily take commands from Alviarin than they do from her. In addition, Elaida seems to hand out penances to them right and left. At least half a dozen have served days of Labor, which is humiliating enough for sisters in their position to be counted as Mortification of the Spirit as well (TPoD, Ch. 25). However, although Elaida tries to rule them with an iron fist, they still know what rights they have as Sitters in the Hall; for example, they refuse to let Elaida put them off of negotiations with the Salidar Aes Sedai, as this is a decision for the Hall, and not the Amyrlin, to make (CoT, Ch. 21). The Sitters are not as eager to please Elaida as she might wish them to be (KoD, Prologue).

With the strife currently existing between the Ajahs (for more information, see the section on Strife Between the Ajahs), relations between the Ajahs are at an all time low. Nevertheless, the Sitters still speak publicly to one another, even if they are not on the best of terms (WH, Prologue). However, when sisters see Sitters of different Ajahs standing and speaking together for too long, rumors have begun to sprout (KoD, Prologue).

The White Tower Aes Sedai

As of “Lord of Chaos,” there are two hundred ninety-four Aes Sedai in the White Tower aligned with Elaida. This is roughly a third of all the Aes Sedai (LoC, Ch. 7).

Elaida so Avriny a’Roihan – Amyrlin Seat
Alviarin Freidhen – First Keeper of the Chronicles
Tarna Feir – Current Keeper of the Chronicles
Silviana Brehon – Mistress of Novices

The Brown Ajah

The Gray Ajah

Note: Beonin is actually a ferret for Elaida who went with the rebels when they fled so as to infiltrate their camp (KoD, Ch. 2).

The Green Ajah

The Red Ajah

Note: All Red Sisters are technically associated with Elaida, as there are no Reds with the Salidar Aes Sedai

The White Ajah

The Yellow Ajah

Unknown Ajah

Novices and Accepted

When the Tower split, the rebels took as many novices and Accepted with them as they could (LoC, Ch. 8). Nevertheless, there are currently over a hundred novices in the White Tower, more than there have been in years, and thirty-one Accepted (KoD, Ch. 24).

Novices

Note: Nicola was a novice with the Salidar Aes Sedai until she ran away, hoping that she could learn faster at the White Tower (KoD, Prologue).

Accepted

Important Issues

Strife Between the Ajahs

The relationship between the six Ajahs that still remain within the White Tower has deteriorated immensely since the split. According to Yukiri, “The invisible walls between the Ajahs, once barely thick enough to hide each Ajah’s own mysteries, had become hard stone ramparts with moats. No, not moats; chasms, deep and wide” (CoT, Prologue). This is due to Alviarin’s manipulations.

One of the first things Alviarin makes Elaida do to begin the fracture between the Ajahs is to search Josaine and Adelorna’s rooms, because both have been holding on to angreal without the knowledge of the Hall. Alviarin also orders Elaida to reward Doraise, Kiyoshi and Farellien, which will make it seem as if they turned Josaine and Adlorna in. Because both Josaine and Adelorna are Green, while Doraise is Brown, Kiyoshi is Gray and Farellien is Yellow, this will create a bad relationship between these Ajahs and the Green (ACoS, Ch. 32).

Alviarin also manipulates Elaida into making a decree that each Ajah is allowed to have final authority over what happens to any sister of another Ajah when she is within its quarters (ACoS, Ch. 32). The Ajahs have taken advantage of this, and although it is tearing the Tower apart, few sisters are willing to give up this new power that they have (TPoD, Ch. 26).

Since Elaida’s decree, most sisters say within their own Ajah’s quarters, even at meal time (TPoD, Ch. 26; KoD, Prologue). Those who do leave their Ajah’s quarters are often in pairs or groups of sisters from their own Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 26). All wear their shawls, and Yukiri thinks that it is as if they are afraid someone might mistake their Ajah. Most sisters bring their Warders everywhere. Yukiri even finds herself thinking that she should find a Warder, which is a terrible thought, since “No sister should have need of a Warder inside the White Tower (CoT, Prologue).

Rudeness between sisters of different Ajahs abounds, with sisters glaring at each other and acting in very haughty manners (CoT, Prologue). Many sisters, even ones who are very low on the hierarchy, sniff openly at Sitters of other Ajahs (TPoD, Ch. 26).

In some cases, the deterioration of the relationships goes further than simple rudeness and disrespect. Sisters are sometimes “bundled unceremoniously from the hallways around another Ajah’s quarters” (TPoD, Ch. 26), and some sisters have even been assaulted and sent back to their rooms, clad only in their shawl and their welts. Doesine, a Sitter in the Hall, supposedly “had more than her dignity ruffled by the Reds” when she went too close to the Red halls (TPoD, Ch. 26). Even Tarna walks lightly; although she doesn’t think anyone would assault the Keeper as of yet, she doesn’t want to take chances (KoD, Ch. 24).

The relationships are so bad that in Egwene’s opinion, the sisters within the Tower view sisters of other Ajahs as bigger enemies than the rebels camped outside the city (KoD, Ch. 24). Yukiri is of the opinion that someone must actually mediate between the Ajahs (CoT, Prologue).

Despite the bad relationships, however, the Sitters still speak to each other in the open, even if they are cold about it (WH, Prologue). In addition, while the heads of Ajah snarl at each other in public, they speak together in private (TPoD, Ch. 26; WH, Prologue).

Embassy to Salidar

Knowing that the Tower needs to be whole once again, Elaida sends an emissary, Tarna Feir, to the Aes Sedai in Salidar with an invitation to return to the White Tower. The invitation is phrased more like a demand that all of the Aes Sedai in Salidar submit to Elaida (TFoH, Ch. 49; LoC, Ch. 8).

Tarna expects neither great difficulty nor success. Before entering Salidar, she leaves a pigeon-handler about a day’s ride from the village so that she can send a report to Elaida once she is done (CoT, Ch. 22). When Tarna arrives in Salidar, she is received by Salidar’s Hall of the Tower (LoC, Ch. 8). The Hall keeps very quiet about Tarna’s proposal; no one outside of the Hall and Sheriam’s group know what is being discussed (LoC, Ch. 12).

On the third day after Tarna’s arrival, the Salidar Hall decides that they need more time to make a decision, and tells Tarna that that is the message they want carried back to Elaida. Tarna agrees to take the message, but is very displeased about their lack of decision (LoC, Ch. 12).

While in Salidar, Tarna speaks with Elayne and Nynaeve. She tries to tempt them back to the Tower by claiming that, were they in the Tower, they would have been tested for the shawl by now, and she tells Elayne that Elaida would be very pleased to have her back in the White Tower. She also speaks to Nynaeve privately to find out what she can about Rand. She asks her to think about accompanying her to the Tower when she leaves in the morning (LoC, Ch. 13).

The next morning, before she leaves, Tarna speaks with the Salidar Hall once more. When she finally leaves Salidar, a dozen Warders serve as an escort of honor for the first few miles of her trip. She is given such a procession because, no matter what, she is still Aes Sedai (LoC, Ch. 15).

Tarna is so unnerved by what she sees in Salidar that it takes her only half a day to reach her pigeon handler. She immediately sends a report to Elaida (CoT, Ch. 22). The report contains things such as the fact that Elayne and Nynaeve are in Salidar, along with Siuan and Logain. She claims that the rebels are ready to jump at shadows, and that about a third of them are on the point of breaking (ACoS, Prologue). She then begins to travel towards Tar Valon as fast as she can, wearing out several horses in the process. On her way back, she runs into one of the Asha’man recruiting parties in Murandy. It is this that prompts her to later suggest to Pevara that the Reds bond the Asha’man as Warders (see the section on Asha'man Warders for more details) (CoT, Ch. 22).

Tarna finally reaches Dorlan, a village just outside of Tar Valon, barely a day after the Salidar army lays siege to Tar Valon. She spends much of her time there trying to find a way into the city past the besiegers. She and Katerine, who is also in Dorlan, finally find a boatman to take them across to the city (CoT, Prologue). Although we are not given details of the meeting, presumably Tarna meets with Elaida to give her more details about her time in Salidar.

Embassy to Rand

Knowing what the signs and prophecies tell, Elaida sends a letter to Rand in Cairhien, offering him the protection and support of the White Tower, as well as an escort of Aes Sedai to bring him from Cairhien to Tar Valon. She writes: “There can be no denial that you are the one prophesied, yet many will try to destroy you for what else you are. For the sake of the world, this can not be allowed. Two nations have bent knee to you, and the savage Aiel as well, but the power of thrones is as dust beside the One Power. The White Tower will shelter and protect you against those who refuse to see what must be. The White Tower will see that you live to see Tarmon Gai'don. None else can do this. An escort of Aes Sedai will come to bring you to Tar Valon with the honor and respect you deserve. This I pledge to you.” (TFoH, Ch. 51).

Although Elaida writes of having Rand escorted with “honor and respect,” she means to have him brought to her regardless of his wishes. This is apparent from the fact that she sends thirty-nine Aes Sedai, and more than five hundred men, to accomplish the task. Ten of the Aes Sedai are Green, twelve are White, one is Brown and fifteen are Red (LoC, Ch. 53). Even seeing only two of the Reds, and not knowing how many there really are, Egwene thinks that Elaida is either ignorant or stupid to have sent any at all (LoC, Ch. 25).

Not all of the thirty-nine Aes Sedai arrive in Cairhien together. The official embassy that calls on Rand is comprised of only six sisters: Coiren Saeldain, Erian Boroleos, Galina Casban, Katerine Alruddin, Nesune Bihara and Sarene Nemdahl. Although Elaida would have liked to appoint Galina as the leader of the embassy, putting a Red in charge would make Rand too suspicious; Coiren, therefore, is the official head of the embassy (LoC, Prologue; LoC, Ch. 25). The official embassy is escorted by Gawyn Trakand and his Younglings. More sisters follow a day behind (LoC, Prologue).

On the way to Cairhien, the embassy meets with three Shaido Wise Ones, Sevanna, Therava and Desaine. They make an agreement; the Shaido will act as an escort back to the White Tower, and in return, Sevanna will get to see Rand, and have him see her, when he is defeated (LoC, Prologue).

About two months after Rand receives Elaida’s letter, the six Aes Sedai of the official embassy arrive in Cairhien (LoC, Ch. 24). They stay with Arilyn Dhulain, thought to be an agent of the Gray Ajah. The five hundred men they brought with them camp less than half a day north of the city (LoC, Ch. 25).

When she learns that Rand is currently not in Cairhien, and that he often appears and disappears from the city, Coiren is vexed. The embassy decides to remain in Cairhien rather than journeying to Caemlyn, since they might end up arriving in Caemlyn only to learn that Rand has left for Cairhien. They are fairly certain that he will, in time, return. While they wait, members of the embassy meet with various nobles who are sworn to Rand to tell them that Rand will be escorted to the White Tower, and to assure them that he will no longer stand in the way of their gaining power. Katerine meets with Colavaere, Nesune with Meilan, and Sarene with Aracome. The Aes Sedai also take turns channelling within the house they are staying in; the constant channelling will make it less likely that they will attract attention in the occasion that they must take Rand by force and shield him within the house (LoC, Ch. 25).

While they wait for Rand to return, the additional Aes Sedai sent by Elaida begin to arrive. Beldeine Nyram arrives and rents a room by the river, and Mayam is due to arrive two days after her (LoC, Ch. 25).

When Rand finally returns to Cairhien, he grants an audience to the embassy, although he will only allow three of them to come to the Palace to see him. Coiren, Nesune and Galina are the three who choose to go. They arrive earlier than expected; Rand, who was visiting with Egwene before their arrival at the Palace, thinks that they mean to catch him off guard, and hides Egwene with weaves of saidin so that the Aes Sedai cannot know she is there (LoC, Ch. 27).

Although Coiren was originally of the opinion that Rand would choose to go to the White Tower willingly (LoC, Prologue), it quickly becomes apparent that it will not be so. Despite the fact that they bring him gifts from Elaida, two chests filled with gold coins, rings, necklaces and gems, he puts them off by telling them that he looks forward to the day he stands in the Tower, but that he has commitments to meet in Cairhien and Andor, as well as elsewhere. Coiren tells him that the embassy is willing to wait for him, and offers him one of the members as an Aes Sedai advisor. Rand turns down her offer, claiming that it would not be safe; he doesn’t want one of the Aes Sedai to take a spear in the ribs by accident. To this, he adds that for their protection, they must not come within a mile of either him or the Sun Palace without his permission. He then sends them away, telling him that he will send word when he can see and speak to them again (LoC, Ch. 27).

Soon after this, Rand Travels back to Caemlyn and stays there for some time (LoC, Ch. 28). However, when he learns that there are now thirteen Salidar Aes Sedai in the city, he returns again to Cairhien (LoC, Ch. 49).

When Rand finally returns to Cairhien once again, worked up about the fact that there are now thirteen Aes Sedai in Caemlyn, Coiren hears of his return and of his sate. She sends him a note to inquire after his health and to ask if she and two sisters can see him, perhaps to offer Healing. His reply is a polite thank you for her good wishes for his health, and a polite refusal of her offer of Healing and her request for an audience. The reason for his refusal of an audience is because he means both the Tower Aes Sedai and the Salidar Aes Sedai to be on an equal footing with one another, and he is waiting for the Salidar Aes Sedai to reach Cairhien (LoC, Ch. 50).

Coiren, however, is persistent in her wishes for an audience. Three days later, she sends another request, and three days later yet another. On the tenth day of his arrival back in Cairhien, she sends another. All of them are politely worded and courteous. Rand finally decides to let Coiren and two sisters see him, since the Salidar Aes Sedai have had three audiences with him, while the Tower Aes Sedai have only had one. He tells Coiren that she may come the next day (LoC, Ch. 50).

By this time, the remainder of the thirty-nine Aes Sedai have arrived in Cairhien. They include Amira Moselle (Encyclopaedia-wot.org), Chisaine Nurbaya (WH, Ch. 13), Covarla Baldene (ACoS, Ch. 32), Elza Penfell (ACoS, Ch. 1), Fera (CoT, Ch. 24), Innina Darenhold (WH, Ch. 13), Irgain Fatamed (TPoD, Prologue), Janine Pavlara (ACoS, Ch. 1), Laigin Arnault (TPoD, Ch. 13), Lusonia Cole (CoT, Prologue), Marith Riven (ACoS, Ch. 1), Ronaille Vevanios, Sashalle Anderly (WH, Ch. 13), Turanna Norill (TPoD, Prologue) and Vayelle Kamsa (WH, Ch. 13).

Coiren, Galina and Katerine are the three sisters who “officially” go to see Rand. However, they also bring twelve other sisters with them, disguised as serving women carrying more chests. Five of them are women who have not yet gained the ageless face of an Aes Sedai; seeing these five faces, while the others are hidden, Rand does not suspect who they are. Impatient with waiting, and knowing that Rand means to continue putting them off, the Aes Sedai shield him. Galina now takes charge, as the Red Ajah is supposed to be in charge once Rand is in their possession. Binding him, they load him into one of the chests and take him from the Sun Palace (LoC, Ch. 51). They also capture Min, knowing that she will give them good leverage against Rand (LoC, Ch. 53).

Back in their house, the Aes Sedai keep Rand hidden in the basement, on a bed within a cage. Six Aes Sedai stay with him to keep him shielded. The channelling that this requires is not noticed because there has been channelling going on non-stop since the Aes Sedai arrived in Cairhien (LoC, Ch. 51).

With Rand now in their possession, the Aes Sedai leave for Tar Valon. Although Galina would have liked to have taken all the Red sisters and gentled him, she is not allowed to; with this option not open, she thinks to herself that she would have delivered him to the Tower unharmed, so long as he was reasonably polite; as he keeps trying to escape, they keep him bound. Along the way, Rand discovers that Min has also been captured; according to Galina, he goes “mad,” trying to break the shield; in the process, he kills two Warders, both of them Erian’s. She finds release in beating him (LoC, Ch. 53).

One night when they are stopped, Sevanna and some of her Shaido come to see Rand. Sevanna tells the Aes Sedai that they have kept their part of the bargain, and that she has kept hers. Galina tells Gawyn that the Shaido have agreed to provide escort. Apparantly there is a second part of her bargain with them, which is to get rid of Gawyn and the Younglings. Sevanna and the others, however, plan to betray the Aes Sedai; Sevanna wants Rand to herself, so that she can marry him (LoC, Ch. 53).

The Tower Aes Sedai continue to make progress towards Tar Valon. Rand tries to trick the Aes Sedai into thinking that he has been beaten in submission so that they will lessen their guard on him, thus allowing him to find a way to escape. Galina intends to have him beaten into submission to the point that he will kiss Elaida’s ring, speak only when he is spoken to and kneel in the corner when he is not wanted (LoC, Ch. 53).

Rand is treated as little more than an animal. He is often put in a box for the duration of the day. Every night he is beaten, and then fed and doused with a bucket of water before they tie him up to sleep. He is also beaten during the day; Galina, Erian and Katerine are the ones who beat him the most often, although Erian refuses to beat him after the second day (LoC, Ch. 53; LoC, Ch. 55).

The Aes Sedai reach a place called Dumai’s Wells. There, a huge battle rages as Rand’s forces, led by Perrin and the Wise Ones, catch up and try to free him. The battle consists of forty thousand Shaido, with two or three hundred Wise Ones who can channel, against six thousand Aiel under Rhuarc, two hundred Cairhienin under Dobraine, two hundred Mayeners under Nurelle, one hundred men from the Two Rivers, almost a hundred channelling Wise Ones, nine Aes Sedai let by Kiruna Nachiman and Bera Harkin, and many Asha’man, led by Mazrim Taim (LoC, Ch. 55; ACoS, Ch. 2).

During the battle, four of the Aes Sedai who are shielding Rand tie off their weaves so as to help. Rand manages to get past the other two, though a third returns when she realizes what he is doing. Nevertheless, Rand manages to break the shield, stilling the three Aes Sedai (Irgain Fatamed, Ronaille Vevanios and Sashalle Anderly) in the process. He finds Min, and then goes on to shield and knock unconscious all of the Tower Aes Sedai he can find, including Erian, Katerine, Sarene and Coiren (LoC, Ch. 55; TPoD, Prologue; WH, Ch. 13).

Twenty-three of the thirty-nine Aes Sedai are captured by the time the battle is over. They include Nesune Bihara, Erian Boroleos, Katerine Alruddin, Coiren Saeldain, Sarene Nemdahl, Elza Penfell, Janine Pavlara, Beldeine Nyram, Marith Riven (ACoS, Ch. 1), Turanna Norill (TPoD, Prologue), Chisaine Nurbaya, Innina Darenhold, Irgain Fatamed, Ronaille Vevanios, Sashalle Anderly, Vayelle Kamsa (WH, Ch. 13) and Fera (CoT, Ch. 24).

Twelve Aes Sedai manage to escape being captured. They include Covarla Baldene (ACoS, Ch. 32), Galina Casban (LoC, Ch. 55) and Lusonia Cole (CoT, Prologue). Katerine Alruddin, who was captured, eventually manages to escape as well (TPoD, Prologue).

Four of the Aes Sedai are killed. Among them are Amira Moselle (Encyclopaedia-wot.org) and Laigin Arnault (TPoD, Ch. 13).

The twenty-three that are captured are given to the Aiel. They are made da’tsang, with the exception of the three who were stilled, Irgain, Ronaille and Sashalle (TPoD, Prologue). Eventually, likely due to Rand’s ta’veren influence, every single one of them swears fealty to him. Beldeine, Elza, Erian, Nesune and Sarene are the first. Beldeine, Elza and Erian swear fealty because they know he has to be at the Last Battle, Nesune swears because she wants to study Rand, and Sarene swears because it is the most logical thing to do (TPoD, Ch. 29). Chisaine Nurbaya, Innina Darenhold, Janine Pavlara and Vayelle Kamsa, all of them Red Ajah, are the last ones to swear fealty (WH, Ch. 13). Irgain Famated, Ronaille Vevanios and Sashalle Anderly, after being Healed, also swear fealty (WH, Ch. 25).

When Elaida learns what has happened, she wants to launch a rescue of the captured Aes Sedai from the Aiel Wise Ones. However, Covarla reports that several hundred male channelers were also present during the battle. This means that there are many more Asha’man than Elaida originally thought, meaning that the sisters she sent to the Black Tower are also doomed (see the section on The Black Tower for more details). Alviarin uses this to threaten Elaida, telling her that the Hall will want to blame someone higher than Covarla. She advises that Elaida abandon the prisoners, as any attempt at rescuing them will only mean that the Hall will discover the failure. Elaida takes her advice (ACoS, Ch. 32).

For quite some time, no word reaches the White Tower from Coiren and her embassy, with the exception of Elaida and a few others (CoT, Prologue). When rumors of sisters obeying Rand do reach the Tower, most sisters blame them on Coiren. Elaida claims that, in the minds of most sisters, Coiren has already been as good as tried and convicted (CoT, Ch. 21).

In order to keep Elaida from undoing the chaos she has caused, Alviarin has the Black Ajah spread the news about the embassy. She has heard sisters who are not Black discussing what happened at Dumai’s Wells in detail, and although this is no longer enough to bring Elaida down what with the rebels laying siege to the Tower, it is enough to make sure that discord and chaos remain within the Tower (KoD, Prologue).

Embassy to Ebou Dar

As a penance for something we do not know, and to set an example for those who might wish to disobey her, Elaida decides to send Joline Maza and Teslyn Baradon as ambassadors to Queen Tylin in Ebou Dar. It is an insult to them because no one cares what happens in Ebou Dar (ACoS, Prologue).

Both Teslyn and Joline are very angry at Elaida’s decision. After arriving in Ebou Dar, they send no word to Elaida except of their safe arrival. When Elaida learns that Elayne and Nynaeve are also in Ebou Dar, she tells Alviarin to send a command to Teslyn and Joline immediately, saying that they are to bring the two girls to her and that she wants regular reports from now on (ACoS, Prologue).

Joline and Teslyn try to convince Mat that they would be friends to Elayne and Nynaeve if they could, but that the two girls are being foolish. They also try to convince him to accept the protection of the White Tower. When Adealeas, Vandene, Merilille, Careane and Sareitha come upon them, the two groups of Aes Sedai get into a fight over whether or not Mat should be shuttled off to the Tower. Joline also threatens the five rebel Aes Sedai, telling them that if it weren’t for the fact that they didn’t wish to offend Tylin, they would take the other five into custody, confining them on bread and water, until they could be returned to the White Tower (ACoS, Ch. 16).

Later, Teslyn and Joline discuss Elayne and Nynaeve. Teslyn suggests that they turn them over to Elaida immediately, as it will get them back into Elaida’s good graces. Joline, however, is too angry at Elaida and wants to make her wait before they bring the girls to her (ACoS, Ch. 17). However, just prior to this, Teslyn sends an anonymous letter to Mat warning him that the girls have to be careful lest they find themselves having to kneel to Elaida (ACoS, Ch. 17). It is possible that Teslyn is trying to mislead or manipulate Joline into leaving Elayne and Nynaeve alone for a time.

In an attempt to keep Joline from interfering with Elayne and Nynaeve leaving Ebou Dar, and because she does not want Elaida to get her hands on the two girls, Teslyn feeds Joline forkroot so that she will not be able to interfere. Unfortunately, this coincides with the Seanchan attack on Ebou Dar. Joline, while not captured, is forced to go into hiding because she falls unconscious and her Warders cannot get her out of the city safely (WH, Ch. 19). Teslyn, however, is captured (WH, Ch. 17).

When Setalle Anan finds Joline still in the city, she takes her back to her inn and gets Mat to agree to help get her out of the city (WH, Ch. 19). In addition, when he learns that it was Teslyn who left the note for him about Elayne and Nynaeve, he goes into the damane kennels and promises to help her escape from the city as well (WH, Ch. 17).

Mat’s plan for getting Joline and Teslyn out of Ebou Dar consists of disguising them as damane. He gets Juilin to find him an a’dam, and after drawing Egeanin into his plan, has her find three sul’dam, one to go to Setalle Anan’s inn to act as Joline’s sul’dam, and the other two to get Teslyn and Edesina, another Aes Sedai damane he has been roped into rescuing, out of the kennels (WH, Ch. 28; WH, Ch. 29). All three of the Aes Sedai are now traveling with him, and Teslyn, at least, is willing to do anything he asks of her in thanks for rescuing her (KoD, Ch. 9).

The Hunt for the Black Ajah

Angry at the fact that Alviarin is exerting authority over her and blackmailing her into obeying her, Elaida makes plans to expose her as a traitor. She visits Seaine, one of the White Sitters, to determine if she can trust her with leading an inquiry. Having established that she can indeed trust Seaine, Elaida tells her that she suspects that someone arranged for an order of hers to be countermanded. She also says that she has reason to believe that someone has been privately communicating with the Dragon Reborn. When Seaine asks Elaida what she wants her to do, Elaida tells her, “I want you to follow the stench of treason, no matter where it leads or how high, even to the Keeper herself.” She emphasizes the fact that Seaine must keep quiet about it (ACoS, Ch. 32).

Although Elaida means for Seaine to uncover evidence that Alviarin is a traitor so that she can be punished, Seaine thinks that Elaida means for her to search out Darkfriends in the White Tower. This misunderstanding leads to a hunt for the Black Ajah within the Tower (ACoS, Ch. 32; KoD, Prologue).

Although Seaine has been sworn to secrecy, and breaking that secrecy is akin to treason, she knows that she will not be able to hunt the Black Ajah on her own. She goes to find the one sister in the Tower that she knows she can trust, Pevara Tazanovni, a Red Sitter whose family was killed by Darkfriends years ago (ACoS, Ch. 32).

Reaching Pevara’s rooms, Seaine tells her about her meeting with Elaida. Pevara agrees to help her. Seaine states that, “Logically, a Black sister must be able to lie despite the Oaths” (ACoS, Ch. 32). They decide to look at reports of things that have happened within the past year. If they can prove that a sister did something other than what she reported, they can prove that they have found a Black sister. They try to decide who they can trust to make a part of the inquiry, but despite the fact that Seaine passed Talene on the way to Pevara’s rooms and thought that, if possible, she would bring her into the inquiry as she is a trusted friend, Pevara counsels caution. In the end, they don’t actually bring anyone else into the hunt for some time, and even then it is not by their choice (ACoS, Ch. 32; TPoD, Ch. 26).

They begin their search. They decide to use the lowest basement of the Tower for their purposes, as no one has been there for at least a century. The test the Oath Rod and learn that oaths can be removed in much the same manner that they are taken. It is very painful however; both Seaine and Pevara remove the oath to tell no lies, in order to test the rod, and it results in pain so intense that they both end up weeping. They then re-swear the oath (TPoD, Ch. 26).

At first, the mistakenly believe that Zerah Dacan is a member of the Black Ajah, but they soon set this straight. For more on this, read the section on The Ferrets. When they learn that she is actually a rebel, they force her into helping them (TPoD, Ch. 26).

While down in the basements after having determined that Zerah is not of the Black Ajah, four other sitters, Saerin, Talene, Yukiri and Doesine, walk in on them, having followed them down to the basements after Yukiri discovered them sneaking around. They want to know what Seaine and Pevara are doing, but they refuse to tell until Saerin discovers that they have the Oath Rod with them. Saerin manages to puzzle everything out, and re-swears the oath to speak no lies before declaring, before the other five in the room, that she is not a Darkfriend. Seaine and Pevara retake the oath after her, followed by Yukiri and Doesine. Talene, however, protests as they do so that it is ridiculous, that there is no such thing as the Black Ajah and that she will not put up with even the suggestion. Suspicious, the others refuse to let her leave the room (TPoD, Ch. 26).

Suspicious that Talene is a Black sister, Seaine, Pevara, Saerin, Yukiri and Doesine decide that she must be questioned. Saerin, as the highest sister among them, takes charge. They place Talene on the Chair of Remorse, with Doesine channelling to make it work. The Chair of Remorse causes the person who is on it to have horrible visions of the consequences of things that they have done and is usually only used on criminals. They have to subject Talene to it three times before she finally breaks (WH, Prologue).

When they bring her awake after the third time, it appears as if Talene will still refuse to forswear all the oaths that bind her as a Darkfriend and re-swear the Three Oaths; just as she is about to be put under for the fourth time, however, she forswears her oaths. The pain of having them removed by the Oath Rod is so horrible that she immediately begins to howl, screaming until she has to stop to draw breath before beginning to scream again, convulsing and arching up until only her heels and her head still remain on the Chair of Remorse. After the procedure is done and she collapses, she re-swears the Three Oaths; she is also made to swear a fourth oath to obey Saerin, Seaine, Pevara, Yukiri and Doesine. Saerin asks her if she is Black Ajah, and Talene replies that yes, she is (WH, Prologue).

Pevara declares that before they hand Talene over to Elaida, she wants to learn as much as they can. Hearing this, Talene informs them that to tell Elaida means death, because Elaida herself is of the Black Ajah. Her reasoning for this is that the Supreme Council of the Black Ajah knows about every decision that Elaida makes before it is even made. Saerin declares that she will not believe Elaida to be Black without more proof, and Pevara agrees. As they believe that it was Elaida who set Seaine on the search for the Black Ajah in the first place, it therefore doesn’t make sense to them for her to be a Darkfriend. However, just to be safe, it is decided that they will not tell Elaida until they know enough that they can cripple the Black Ajah with one blow. In addition, f she is Black Ajah, then Seaine is in danger because the Black Ajah therefore knows about her search; Saerin tells the others that they will all have to ensure Seaine’s safety. It is here that Pevara and Seaine tell the others about Zerah and the other rebel ferrets who wioll be able to help them in their search (WH, Prologue).

Before they leave the room, the Sitters discuss their situation at length. Yukiri wants to hand the rebels over the Hall immediately, Pevara wants to use the rebels, and Doesine wants to kidnap every sister in the White Tower to determine whether they are of the Black Ajah (WH, Prologue).

Because they know that they cannot keep Talene hidden for long before the Green Ajah begins to wonder where she is, Talene is allowed to seemingly walk free, though in truth she is guarded closely and still under oath to obey the hunters (CoT, Prologue). At one point, Alviarin notices that when Elaida asks if the Green Ajah supports the idea of negotiations with the rebel Aes Sedai, Talene looks to Yukiri and Doesine, even though as the senior Green Sitter she should have informed Elaida of her Ajah’s stance (CoT, Ch. 21). Talene tells the hunters all she knows about the Black Ajah, including the names of the only three Black sisters she knows: Atuan Larisett, Galina Casban and Temaile Kinderode. Galina and Temaile are out of the Tower, so Atuan is the only one that the hunters can investigate. Even though they are making progress, however, the hunters intend to wait until they have “the Black Ajah wrapped up and tied” before they inform anyone of their findings, as they are afraid that once they let the secret out of the bag, the Black Ajah will manage to get revenge on them before they are taken care of (CoT, Prologue).

The ferrets end up proving very useful to the hunters, and Yukiri, who originally had argued that the ferrets should be handed over to the Hall to be tried, is now glad that they did not do so (CoT, Prologue).

Although Seaine thinks that Elaida cannot be Black Ajah as they are all still alive despite the fact that two months have passed since the hunt was initiated, Saerin still insists that Seaine take precautions and not be out in public more than she has to. When Seaine tries to convince Yukiri of the fact that she is safe, Yukiri tells her that she will have to put up with being looked after until all of them can be sure that she is, indeed, safe. The situation exasperates Seaine to no end, and she means to speak to Saerin about it again (CoT, Prologue).

Two weeks after Pevara, Seaine, Saerin, Yukiri and Doesine discover that Talene is Black Ajah, Yukiri and Meidani, one of the ferrets, walk through the Halls talking about Atuan Larisett. Meidani reports to Yukiri that there are no records that can be checked on her, as every time she has left the Tower in the last ten years it has been for her own affairs. Celestin and Annharid, the two Yellow ferrets, are trying to find out who Atuan’s close friends in the Yellow Ajah are for further investigation. Doesine is trying to arrange for Atuan to be questioned, as they are both of the Yellow Ajah, but it is difficult since it is imperative that nobody finds out what they are up to (CoT, Prologue).

In addition to keeping an eye on Atuan, Yukiri orders Meidani to renew an old friendship with Elaida so that the Amyrlin can be watched for signs of whether or not she is Black Ajah. Yukiri also tells Meidani to keep an eye on Alviarin, since it is known that Alviarin sees all of Elaida’s papers. Although Yukiri thinks to herself that this isn’t enough to accuse Alviarin of being a Darkfriend, it means that the hunters are at least entertaining the idea (CoT, Prologue).

Atuan Larisett is finally kidnapped by the hunters and forced to re-swear the oaths, plus the extra oath. She admits to being a member of the Black Ajah, and gives up two more names: Karale Sanghir and Marris Thornhill. Both happen to be currently in the Tower. Karale Sanghir is questioned soon after, and both she and her Warder turn out to be Darkfriends. Her Warder ends up taking poison as soon as he learns that his secret is out; this is actually lucky, according to Yukiri, as the Oath Rod only works on those who can channel, and they do not have enough people to have him guarded. Karale is soon followed by Marris Thornhill, who also admits to being Darkfriends. All four Darkfriend Aes Sedai who have been caught to this point claim that they have rejected of the Shadow, insisting that they repent of their sins and walk in the Light once again (KoD, Prologue).

Once captured, both Karale and Marris each give up two more names. Unfortunately, all four of these sisters are out of the Tower. The hunters are therefore at a standstill (KoD, Prologue).

On the day that Marris Thornhill breaks, Yukiri gives Pevara some startling news. The night before, Talene received a summons from the Black Ajah’s Supreme Council. Afraid that she is to be questioned, Talene begged Saerin to hide her, and Saerin ends up putting her in one of the rooms in the basement. Although this is precaution against being found out by the Black Ajah, Pevara thinks that Talene should be allowed to go to the meeting, followed by all of the hunters, the ferrets, and the captured Black Ajah, so that the Black Ajah’s Supreme Council can be captured. Seaine claims that the hunters would have nineteen people to the Supreme Council’s thirteen, until Yukiri reminds her that the Supreme Council would have others watching to make sure that the meeting is not interrupted (KoD, Prologue).

Talene’s summons by the Supreme Council likely has to do with Yukiri and Doesine. Alviarin now suspects the two of them because of the way that she previously saw Talene defer to them. Shaidar Haran has informed her that there are people within the Tower who are trying to destroy the Black Ajah, and that she is to find them and bring them to him (CoT, Ch. 21). Yukiri and Doesine are a “very small seed of hope” to her, as she feels that only a threat to the Black Ajah can save her from the Dark One’s displeasure (KoD, Ch. Prologue).

While Pevara and Yukiri speak of this summons, Seaine approaches them with more startling news. She has just finished speaking with Elaida, who wanted to know how Seaine’s inquiry into Alviarin’s “treasonous correspondence with the Dragon Reborn” is going. The hunters now know that Elaida has not set them to hunt the Black Ajah, which was the only assurance they had that Elaida herself is not Black Ajah (KoD, Prologue).

The Ferrets

In an attempt to undermine Elaida’s power, the rebel Aes Sedai send ten sisters back to the White Tower to spread the rumors about Logain being set up by the Red Ajah. They send two sisters from every Ajah except the Blue and the Red (ACoS, Ch. 8; TPoD, Ch. 26). The sisters include Bernaie Gelbarn and Zerah Dacan from the White Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 26), Annharid and Celestin from the Yellow Ajah (CoT, Prologue) and Jennet and Meidani from the Gray Ajah (KoD, Ch. 24).

The ferrets are discovered when Seaine and Pevara begin their hunt for the Black Ajah. When Zerah Dacan returned to the White Tower, she told people that she came from the north, yet Seaine and Pevara find Goldenthorn seeds and a red cockle-burr on her saddlecloth, which can only be found south of Tar Valon. Thinking that this lie must mean that Zerah is a member of the Black Ajah, they take her down to the basements, make her re-swear the three oaths as well as a fourth oath to obey them, and then make her answer their questions. They thus find out that Zerah actually came from Salidar; she must have ridden around to approach Tar Valon from the north. They also learn that she is a rebel who was sent to spread the rumors about Logain and the Red Ajah, and force her into giving up the names of the other ferrets. Seaine and Pevara decide to use the ferrets to their advantage in hunting the Black Ajah, deciding that they will make all of the other ferrets swear the same fourth oath that they made Zerah swear (TPoD, Ch. 26).

Seaine arranges to have Zerah bring Bernaile Gelbarn, the other White ferret, to her and Pevara to question (TPoD, Ch. 26). They eventually question all of them and bind them with the fourth oath (WH, Prologue). The Black Ajah hunters set the ferrets to work finding out information. Annharid and Celestin are told to find out who Atuan Larisett’s friends are within the Yellow Ajah, and Meidani has also been watching Atuan, as we see her reporting to Yukiri on her. Likely all of the ferrets have been keeping an eye on her. Yukiri also orders Meidani to renew an old friendship with Elaida, so that they can keep an eye on her (CoT, Prologue).

When Beonin, who has been spying on the Salidar Aes Sedai, returns to the White Tower, she tells Elaida all about the ferrets. Tarna wants to know if she should have them arrested, but Elaida tells her to simply have them watched, to see who they associate with. She also tells Tarna to have Meidani invited to dinner with her, since she now knows why Meidani has been trying to renew their friendship (KoD, Ch. 2).

Although Beonin has betrayed the ferrets to Elaida, she warns Meidani and Jennet, the two Gray ferrets, of what she has done. When Egwene learns that Beonin is in the Tower, she orders her to warn the other ferrets as well (KoD, Ch. 24).

When Tarna later sees Elaida and Meidani dining together, Elaida seems very predatory and Meidani looks nervous. Although Elaida has learned nothing from Meidani so far, she thinks that the rebel is trying to renew their old relationship as pillow-friends, and Elaida is considering letting her do so in the hopes that Meidani will reveal more that way (KoD, Ch. 25).

Elaida also orders that the Sitters have the ferrets watched, although she will not allow the Sitters to be told why. She thinks that some of the Sitters might be working with them (KoD, Ch. 25).

The Black Tower

Deciding that the Black Tower must be taken care of before Elayne can safely be crowned the Queen of Andor, Elaida decides to send sisters to the Black Tower to gentle any man who is there and can channel. She does not believe that there can be more than two or three men there who can actually channel, but she decides to send fifty-one sisters and two hundred of the Tower Guard, with Toveine Gazal of the Red Ajah at their head, just in case and to take care of the hangers-on and camp followers that might be there as well. Toveine has orders to hang the men after they have been gentled as a warning to any man who thinks of channeling (ACoS, Prologue).

Alviarin does not think that is a good idea, as she believes that there may be more men who can channel than Elaida believes. She plans to make sure that there are no Black sisters among the ones sent to the Black Tower (ACoS, Prologue). The sisters who are sent, other than Toveine, include Adrielle (KoD, Ch. 27), Aisling Noon (KoD, Ch. 20), Akoure Vayet, Ayako Norsoni, Carniele, Desandre, Gabrelle (WH, Prologue), Jenare and Lemai (TPoD, Ch .26)

Toveine, the other sisters and the Tower guard travel to Andor by ship. Around the time they reach Andor, Elaida learns that there are, in fact, hundreds of men who can channel rather than just two or three. Although she wants to have Alviarin send a note immediately telling Toveine to return to the White Tower, Alviarin manages to use the impending disaster to gain some control over Elaida. She advises Elaida to abandon Toveine and the others, as warning them might lead to the Hall learning of Elaida’s misjudgement. Elaida, afraid of losing her position, agrees and lets Toveine approach the Black Tower (ACoS, Ch. 32). Despite the horrible odds, she still has hope that Toveine will triumph, as she once had a Foretelling that “The Black tower would be rent in fire and blood […] and sisters would walk its grounds” (TPoD, Ch., 25).

Reaching Andor, Toveine and the others ride to the Black Tower. The Aes Sedai have been split into ten parties to approach it. Toveine’s contains four other Reds, Jenare and Lemai among them, and twenty of the Tower Guards (TPoD, Ch. 26).

Logain and some of his men from the Black Tower, including Hardlin, Norley, Kajima, Kurin, Malevin, Sandomere and Vinchova, happen to be out riding and encounter the Aes Sedai. They find the group that Gabrelle is with, and shield, capture and bond them (TPoD, Ch. 26; WH, Prologue; KoD, Ch. 20; KoD, Ch. 27). They later find Toveine’s group and do the same. Once Toveine realizes that she and the other sisters with her are shielded, she orders the Aes Sedai to break and ride in every direction. She also orders the Tower Guards with her to attack the Asha’man, and tells the Aes Sedai to help the Guards once they are far enough away to break the shields that have been placed on them. However, as they ride away, they are all captured. Toveine ends up being bonded by Logain, who orders her not to escape, not to attack any man in a black coat, nor to use the One Power unless he gives her permission (TPoD, Ch. 26). All fifty-one of the Aes Sedai are captured and bonded within two days (WH, Prologue). Aside from Toveine and Gabrelle being bonded by Logain, we also know that Jenare is bonded by Kajima (WH, Prologue), Aisling Noon is bonded by Malevin, Ayako Norsoni is bonded by Donalo Sandomere (KoD, Ch. 20) and Adrielle is bonded by Mezar Kurin (KoD, Ch. 27).

According to Logain, it was Taim who gave the order for the Aes Sedai to be bonded (CoT, Ch. 24). However, during the scene when Toveine is bonded by Logain, Vinchova comments to Logain that Taim won’t be happy that he has bonded two Aes Sedai, and that he doesn’t think Taim likes them bonding any (TPoD, Ch. 26). Logain assumes that the order from Taim was sent down from Rand, until Rand sets him straight about it (CoT, Ch. 24). This is possibly all a part of Taim trying to sow more confusion and chaos in the world.

The captured sisters are kept in a building lined with canvas rooms on the edge of the village at the Black Tower. Most of the Aes Sedai won’t look each other in the eye. All of them are very angry with Toveine, and blame their capture on her. If Logain hadn’t intervened, they would have had their revenge on her the first night. As it was, Logain forced them to stop and made Carniele Heal the bruises they had given her (WH, Prologue).

Although Toveine’s lapdesk, which contains the orders from Elaida to gentle all of the men at the Black Tower, is lost during the capture, Logain finds it. After reading the contents, he burns it. Gabrelle thinks it might be to protect them so as not to incur the wrath of the White Tower, or because the bond he has used on them is like the Warder bond and he does not want to suffer through their deaths (WH, Prologue).

After two days of debating with herself, Gabrelle decides to seduce and sleep with Logain in order to learn more about the Asha’man and the Black Tower. It takes her four days to convince him to sleep with her. Toveine is aghast when she finds out, but Gabrelle’s information is useful. Gabrelle suggests to Toveine that the Aes Sedai must stick together, so that they can make use of whatever information she can gather, and that the only way to do so will be if the two of them publicly submit to Desandre and Lemai, who stand the highest among them (WH, Prologue). Toveine agrees, though Gabrelle thinks that the only reason she can bring herself to do it is because Lemai is of the Red Ajah (WH, Prologue; CoT, Prologue). Toveine intends to use Logain, Taim and the rest of the Asha’man to bring Elaida down before they are destroyed, though she does not mention this to Gabrelle (WH, Prologue).

With Desandre and Lemai now in charge of the captured Aes Sedai, they order everyone to be friendly to the Asha’man who have bonded them, in order to lull the men into thinking that they are harmless. They still plan, however, to find a way to end the threat of the Black Tower. This will be aided by the fact that although the bond that the Asha’man have used on the Aes Sedai uses compulsion of a sort, they have not been given an order not to harm the Black Tower (TPoD, Ch. 26; WH, Prologue; CoT, Prologue). Gabrelle thinks that several other sisters have followed her lead and attempted to seduce their Asha’man. Toveine now all but simpers at Logain, and Gabrelle thinks to herself that Logain must know that Toveine’s smiles are a fraud. (WH, Prologue).

Under the guise of going on a recruiting trip, Logain travels to Cairhien to find Rand, and then goes on to Tear when he learns that that is where Rand is (CoT, Prologue; CoT, Ch. 22; CoT, Ch. 24). Donalo Sandomere, Malevin, Mezar Kurin and Welyn Kajima accompany him, with their bonded Aes Sedai, Ayako, Aisling, Adrielle and Jenare. Rand is very angry to learn that the Asha’man have bonded fifty-one Aes Sedai and tells Logain that it has to stop. He says that he may now have to let the same number of Asha’man be bonded by Aes Sedai, to appease the White Tower, but he does not order Logain to release the Aes Sedai (CoT, Ch. 24).

When Trollocs and Myrddraal attack Lord Algarin’s manor in Tear, the Asha’man and their bonded Aes Sedai help in the defence. They also help with disposing of the bodies by helping to burn them after the battle is over (KoD, Ch. 20).

Logain, Toveine, Gabrelle, Kurin, Adrielle, Kajima, Jenare, Sandomere and Ayako, possibly among others, accompany Rand when he goes to meet with the Daughter of the Nine Moons (Semirhage in disguise). All of them except for Logain wait at a distance, since Rand is only allowed to bring six people with him (KoD, Ch. 27).

It is noted several times that the Aes Sedai and Asha’man are on good terms. While they are in Cairhien, Sashalle Anderly sends a letter back to the Red Ajah. Although she doesn’t know about the bonding, she writes that the Aes Sedai are on “tense yet often friendly terms” with the Asha’man (KoD, Prologue). While waiting for the meeting with the Daughter of the Nine Moons to begin, Rand notes the interactions between them as well. Adrielle and Kurin each have an arm around the other; Jenare and Kajima laugh together; and Ayako seems concerned for Sandomere’s safety (KoD, Ch. 27). Whether they are still acting on orders from Lemai and Desandre, or whether they have actually become attached to the Asha’man, is not known.

According to Elaida, the White Tower has been hearing a good many things about the Black Tower, but most Aes Sedai blame Toveine for the failure, thinking that she must have known how many Asha’man there were before attacking (CoT, Ch. 21). Until very recently, however, few of the Aes Sedai in the White Tower have known the full extent of what really happened. This is evidenced by the fact that Pevara and Tarna are both surprised by the contents of the letter that Toveine eventually sends to the Red Ajah, as are Yukiri and Seaine by the letters sent by Akoure Vayet and Ayako Norsoni. Yukiri tells Pevara that only the head of the Gray Ajah and the Gray Sitters know what is in Akoure’s letter, and that they will keep silent for the good of the Tower, even though Evanellein is all for pulling Elaida down because of it, which must not be allowed as the Tower must remain whole (CoT, Ch. 22; KoD, Prologue).

Despite these attempts to keep things quiet, however, Alviarin has ordered the Black Ajah to spread rumors about what happened at the Black Tower. This is done in an attempt to keep Elaida from undoing the chaos that Alviarin has sowed. Alviarin thinks to herself that soon, the news of what happened at the Black Tower will be known by everyone in the White Tower, and that although this is no longer enough to bring Elaida down what with the rebels laying siege to the Tower, it is enough to make sure that discord and chaos remain within the Tower (KoD, Prologue).

The Siege of Tar Valon

Wanting to remove Elaida as the Amrylin Seat, the Salidar Aes Sedai begin a slow march towards the city of Tar Valon (LoC, Ch. 44). Although Elaida is not concerned at all, convinced that the rebels are on the point of breaking anyway, Alviarin is disturbed by the fact that three hundred Aes Sedai and an army led by Gareth Bryne, possibly numbering as high as twenty thousand men, are moving towards them. She argues with Elaida to increase the Tower Guard, but Elaida refuses. Once Alviarin has managed to blackmail Elaida into obeying her, the Tower Guard is increased (ACoS, Ch. 32; TPoD, Ch. 25).

Arguing that nobody views them as the legitimate White Tower in exile, Egwene manages to manipulate Salidar’s Hall of the Tower into officially declaring war on Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan, even though the White Tower supposedly does not declare war on individuals. It is decided that the rebel army will rest for one month in Murandy before Traveling straight to Tar Valon to begin the siege, as Egwene is sick of the Sitters trying to dig in their heels (TPoD, Ch. 19).

One month later, the rebels do indeed Travel to Tar Valon (TPoD, Ch. 30). At least twenty-five thousand soldiers camp on the east side of the River Erinin, and Gawyn believes there to be as many on the west bank as well (CoT, Prologue). They are camped halfway between Tar Valon and Dragonmount, and Gareth Bryne has forces occupying the bridge towns on both banks of the river (CoT, Ch. 17).

In order to speed up the siege of Tar Valon, one night, Egwene and Leane turn the harbor chains to cuendillar. Egwene manages to get the entire Northharbor chain converted before she is captured by Tower Aes Sedai; Leane manages to convert half of the Southharbor chain before she, too, is captured. Melare doubts that more than small ships will be able to pass even at the Southharbor (CoT, Ch. 30; KoD, Prologue). They try cutting away the iron half of the Southharbor chain, but that still doesn’t allow enough ships into Tar Valon to feed the city. Elaida eventually orders the chain towers to be dismantled so that the cuendillar chains can be removed, but the towers were built and strengthened with the One Power, making it so that only the One Power can remove them. At first, most of the work is done by Red Sisters, who complain about this; Elaida orders that every Ajah who doesn’t send its share of sisters to help will have its Sitters take a daily penance from the Mistress of Novices (KoD, Ch. 25).

Negotiations with Salidar

Although Elaida has demolished the Blue Ajah and has declared that all rebel Aes Sedai will have to petition for re-admittance into their Ajahs after serving a penance, there is some talk among the rebel Hall about negotiations with Elaida. The Sitters who have spoken of it include three of the women who were Sitters before the split in the Tower, Varilin, Takima and Magla; Faiselle and Saroiya, also Sitters before the split, have also shown interest in the idea. In addition, Beonin, who is on Egwene’s council and also spying for Elaida, supports the idea. Beonin, at least, and likely the others, are frightened by the huge outburst of power (Rand and Nynaeve), thinking that it was the Forsaken, and are disturbed about Elaida’s proclamation about Rand, thinking that it means Elaida has control over him (CoT, Ch. 16).

Despite the fact that many other sisters abhor the idea, not wanting to go “crawling” back to Elaida, Egwene gives Beonin permission to approach Varilin and the others to arrange to begin negotiations. However, the only terms Egwene will accept is that Elaida is to resign and go into exile (CoT, Ch. 16).

Likewise, there are sisters in the White Tower support the idea of negotiations. Elaida is loathe let negotiations begin, but the Sitters insist that this is a decision for the Hall, and not Elaida, to make. Elaida tells them that the only terms she will accept are that the Blue Ajah no longer exists, and that all sisters who currently follow Egwene al’Vere must serve a penance under her guidance before being readmitted into an Ajah (CoT, Ch. 21).

Negotiations begin at the foot of the bridge that leads to the village of Darein. Every rebel Sitter who held a seat before the split, with the exception of Janya, is a part of them. None of them seem to trust each other to do the negotiations (KoD, Ch. 2; KoD, Ch. 23). Although Egwene had initially told Beonin that she could begin negotiations, Varilin soon takes over for the Salidar side. In Egwene’s opinion, the sisters on both sides are talking in circles, trying not to say anything that might offend the other side and send them away. Because of this, the talks are going badly; on the Salidar side, Varilin, Magla and Saroiya are very frustrated (CoT, Ch. 30).

After Egwene has been captured by the Tower Aes Sedai, the Salidar Sitters still ride out to continue the negotiations (KoD, Ch. 2). The rebel Aes Sedai refuse to agree to the dissolution of the Blue Ajah, as well as Elaida remaining in power, but in Romanda’s opinion, it is only her and Lelaine who are keeping them from acceding to some of Elaida’s other “odious” terms (KoD, Ch. 23). Elaida, apparently, won’t let the sisters who are negotiation on her side to budge even an inch (CoT, Ch. 30).

Elaida tries to order the Ajahs to break off the talks with Salidar, but they disobey. Elaida eventually tells Tarna that the Sitters of any Ajah who still sends sisters to negotiate with the rebels will have to take a daily penance with the Mistress of Novices (KoD, Ch. 25).

Egwene in the Tower

After being captured while turning the Northharbor chain to cuendillar, Egwene is taken to the White Tower, where she is demoted by Elaida to a novice. She is fed forkroot every day to limit the amount of the One Power that she can channel. Despite all of this, however, Egwene uses her time in the White Tower to her best advantage and manages to undermine Elaida’s position (KoD, Prologue; KoD, Ch. 24).

Every time Egwene so much as makes a tiny misstep, she is sent to the Mistress of Novices for punishment. Because she refuses to curtsy or use the honorific on any Aes Sedai’s name, she is punished every morning and midday, and usually many times throughout the rest of the day. Her perseverance and the way in which she endures her punishment earns her respect, not only among the other novices, but also grudgingly among some of the other Aes Sedai, including Silviana, the Mistress of Novices herself (KoD, Ch. 24).

Because her ability with the One Power and her disobedience of them unnerves the Accepted, Egwene takes individual lessons with various Aes Sedai after her first day. She uses these to try to plant seeds of doubt about Elaida within the sisters’ minds. Although some sisters, such as Pritalle Nerbaijan, Serancha Colvine and Adelorna Bastine will not listen to her, others, such as Bennae Nalsad and Lirene Doirellin, actually talk to her about some things. Even Silviana finds herself answering some of Egwene’s pointed questions (KoD, Ch. 24).

While in the Tower, Egwene also runs into Mattin Stepaneos, and gives him some food for thought, telling him that Rand did not kill Colavaere and Morgase as is commonly thought, and that Elaida has essentially kidnapped him. She also finds Beonin, and because of the oath of fealty that Beonin swore to her, manages to force Beonin into doing some of her work as well; she tells Beonin to warn all of the ferrets that they have been outed to Elaida (KoD, Ch. 24).

Although she is a prisoner within the White Tower, Egwene does not relinquish what she sees as her right to the Amyrlin Seat, and uses the chinks and cracks within the White Tower to raise questions about Elaida’s ability to hold the Amyrlin Seat (KoD, Ch. 24).

Asha’man Warders

It is when she is on her way back from Salidar, where she was sent as an emissary, that the idea of bonding Asha’man as Warders first occurs to Tarna Feir. Frightened by their numbers and the power that they hold, it is, in her mind, the only way that disaster can be averted – by asserting some little control over these male channelers by bonding them to Aes Sedai. In Tarna’s opinion, the Red Ajah is the only Ajah who can handle this; they are used to facing men who can channel, and will be ready to take the necessary steps. She thinks that even the Greens would faint if it was suggested to them (CoT, Ch. 22).

Tarna has not suggested her plan to Elaida. Elaida has forbidden even mention of the Asha’man. Instead, she first broaches her idea to Pevara, one of the Red Sisters. Tarna claims that she does so because Pevara is “unconventional”; she once even stated that she wouldn’t mind having a Warder (ACoS, Ch. 32; CoT, Ch. 22).

Pevara wants to know if the Asha’man will be gentled after they are bonded. Tarna doesn’t know what this would do to the sisters who bond them, but admits that it might end up so. On the other hand, however, it might be impossible. Regardless of what happens, Tarna believes that this is something that must be done. She is willing to be one of the first Reds to bond an Asha’man as a Warder if a way is found to do it (CoT, Ch. 22).

When Pevara learns of Tarna’s plan, she lets her read the letter that has been received from Toveine, containing information on how Toveine and the other Aes Sedai sent to deal with the Black Tower have been captured and bonded. Tarna believes that it changes nothing, and makes her plan all the more necessary. Pevara, on the other hand, claims that it “changes everything. It changes the whole world” (CoT, Ch. 22).

Pevara presents Tarna’s plan to Tsutama Rath, the head of the Red Ajah. She argues in favor of the plan, using arguments such as the fact that Asha’man Warders will increase the amount of people able to link in a circle to combat things such as the “monstrous display of power” that happened recently (Rand and Nynaeve channelling). Pevara is surprised when Tsutama does not erupt at the suggestion; instead, she simply says that she will think about it, asking to have information on men and linking delivered to her.

Tsutama eventually makes her decision and calls Pevara and Javindhra, two of the Red Sitters, to her apartments. Claiming that “The world has become a more dangerous place than at any time since the Trolloc Wars, perhaps since the Breaking itself,” she tells Pevara to go ahead with the plan, and that Pevara is to arrange it along with Javindhra. Javindhra, however, is very against the idea. She argues that Elaida will never allow it, but Tsutama tells her that Elaida is not to know until it is too late (KoD, Prologue).

Although Pevara knows that Tsutama could simply order the Red sisters to bond Asha’man as Warders, Pevara decides that it would be better to find sisters who are willing to do it without being ordered (KoD, Prologue). Once Pevara has informed Tarna that the plan has been approved, Tarna begins trying to decide who to choose to bond the first Asha’man. She has a difficult time trying to decide who to trust. After almost two weeks, she still only has one name on her list of people she can trust, and that one is impossible for the task (KoD, Ch. 25).

In the end, only six sisters go to the Black Tower so as not to alarm the Asha’man. Tarna, Pevara and Javindhra are accompanied by Jezrail, Desala and Melare. Jezrail is chosen because she keeps a painted miniature of the boy she almost married before she went to the White Tower; Desala is chosen because she loves to dance; and Melare is chosen because she pays for her grandnephews’ education, just as she paid for her nephews before them. Among them, the six have agreed that they will bond no man who shows signs of madness (KoD, Epilogue).

Together, they approach the Black Tower and petition to be able to see Taim; after a wait, Taim sends a message that he will see them and they are led to his palace. When they arrive there, it is to find Taim sitting on a throne with about a hundred Asha’man in the room. It is Pevara who asks Taim if they will be allowed to bond Asha’man as Warders, reminding him that the Asha’man have already bonded fifty-one Aes Sedai. She assures him that no man would be bonded against his will. When Taim wants to know why Reds would want to bond men who can channel, Pevara tells him that it is because Reds have experience with men who can channel. She adds that “We are not afraid of them. Custom can be as hard to change as law, harder at times, but it has been decided to change ours. Henceforth, Red sisters may bond Warders, but only men who can channel.” Taim agrees (KoD, Epilogue).

Miscellaneous

Because of a Foretelling that she once had that Andor will be the key to the Last Battle, Elaida thinks that it is imperative that Elayne be in the White Tower. She therefore issued orders that Elayne is to be brought back to the White Tower at all costs. One of the Yellow Ajah’s eyes-and-ears, having received this order, tried to kidnap Elayne and Nynaeve (TFoH, Ch. 9; TFoH, Ch. 10).

Elaida has dissolved the Blue Ajah; she is not sure she can trust any Blue ever again (TFoH, Prologue). She has gone so far as to remove the blue stripe from the Amyrlin’s stole (LoC, Ch. 7).

As a punishment, Elaida has demoted Shemerin, an Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah, to the level of Accepted. Although there is no provision for such a thing in Tower law, there is also no prohibition. Other sisters encourage Shemerin to ignore the Amyrlin’s decision, but Shemerin simply moves into the Accepted quarters once she realizes that Elaida will not change her mind. Eventually, she runs away (LoC, Ch. 7; KoD, Ch. 24).

When the Tower splits, Elaida commands Beonin to go to the Salidar camp and infiltrate it. Beonin manages to become a part of the ruling circle and does what she can to keep the Salidar Aes Sedai in Salidar. Eventually, though, Salidar elects its own Hall and names its own Amyrlin, and Beonin cannot stop them from marching on Tar Valon. Althugh Elaida has commanded her to remain with the rebels until they are all ready to return to the White Tower, but after Egwene is captured, she returns to the Tower, thinking that the rebels will be overcome within a few more days (KoD, Ch. 2).

The state of the city of Tar Valon has been deteriorating. There is rotting garbage in the streets, and the sewers are nearly clogged. Although Egwene blames Elaida for this, Elaida has signed orders that it is to be taken care of immediately (KoD, Prologue; KoD, Ch. 2). There are also rats within the Tower itself, until Elaida has the Wardings in the basements fixed, and ravens and crows within the Tower grounds, at which Elaida orders that the Wardings on the walls be fixed (KoD, Ch. 2; KoD, Ch. 25).